Rack construction for dishwashing machines



1951 F. MUCKLER ET AL 2,997,155

RACK CONSTRUCTION FOR DISHWASHING MACHINES Filed June 11, 1959 I8 35b 2| 35b 8 w 25 I6 I8 35b 2| 35b L35C1|9 2| |9 a I I 350.!9 2| |9 m 24 24 it h a a [.727 2: n 1 Q /I\ r 1H FRANK MUCKLER BYROBERT G. FRASER M WM ATTORNEYS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 22, 1961 F. MUCKLER ETAL RACK CONSTRUCTION FOR DISHWASHING MACHINES Filed June 11, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.

350. as f 35a 5 INVENTORS FRANK MUCKLER F'IG.

ROBERT G. FRASER ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 22, 1961 F. MUCKLER EIAL RACK CONSTRUCTION FOR DISK- WASHING MACHINES Filed June 11. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 4

FIG. 6

INVENTORS FRANK MUCKLER ATTORNEYS United States Patent ce I 29979155 I I Patented Aug. 22, 1961 1 2 2 997-155 1, 2 and 3. The opposite flange 14 also carries a similar RACK CONSTRUC'fIOhI FOR DISHWASHING plurality of pairs of clips 18 which are aligned opposite MACHINES the clips on flange 12, and are associated with holes 19 Frank Muckler, Sappington, Mo., and Robert G. Fraser,

Park Ridge, 111., assignors to Southern Hotel and Restaurant Supplies, Inc., doing business as Washington Metal Products Company, Washington, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed June 11, 1959, Ser. No. 819,702 2 Claims. (Cl. 198-431) This invention is directed to improvements in the construction of racks and trays adapted for use in dishwashing machines, whereby the same may be arranged for use in any of the commercially available washing, and drying machines.

It is the object of this invention to provide a tray base which is adapted to a peg conveyor or any of the dishwashing machine conveyors by interchangeably installing the proper index strip in a standard frame assembly.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a rack construction of universal form with means which will persuit the rack to incorporate any of several different index strips for rendering the rack usable in the several difierent dishwashing machines in commercial use.

An object of the invention is to provide a rack construction with means to secure any of the prevailing dishwashing machine conveyor index strips therein, whereby the distributor of the racks may economically stock a supply of different index strips with a single stock of racks :and be able to supply the desired combination of index strips and rack for the dishwashing machine selected or being used by the purchaser.

' ()ther objects are to provide an improved rack construction having the novel features and component parts hereinafter described and claimed withvreference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a preferred rack construction incorporating the improvements of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the rack of FIG. 1 showing further details thereof;

. FIG. 3 is a fragmentary broken view in fragmentary transverse sectional elevation of the base as seen along line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the attachment means in position to retain the index strip in position;

IFIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating an index strip of a modified character to adapt the rack for use with a diiferent commercial make of dishwashing ma chine; and

FIG. 6 is a further view like FIG. 1, but showing a different index strip for still another make of dishwashing machine.

One preferred construction is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein the rack is made in two general parts, that is a rigid base 7 and a wire cage frame 8. Dish carrying inserts, dividers, and other dish supporting aids may be placed in the cage 8 and secured against removal if de sired. None of these aids is shown to avoid confusion with the structure hereinafter described.

The base 7 is formed of a unitary angle member cutaway at 9 at spaced zones so that upon bending the same the cut-away areas are suitable for forming mitered corners. The ends of the member are brought together and united at the weldment W in one side span of the base. The angle member, therefore is made into a rigid part having horizontally inwardly directed flanges 12, 13, 14 and 15 and a vertical wall 16 which is continuous about the periphery. The several flanges 12 to 15 each has a pair of elongated slots 17 near the opposite ends for a purpose to appear. In addition, the flange 12 carries a plurality of pairs of clips 18 arranged as shown in FIGS.

formed above the flange 14 in the vertical wall 16. The clips all have tangs 20 which may be bent down, as in FIG. 4, or raised as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The cage frame 8 is formed of heavy wire stock and includes two-legged, U-shaped corner struts 21 having the depending leg endings 22 secured to the wall 16 of the base and a free closed end 24 which is adapted to fit into a slot 17 when the racks are stacked up, thereby steadying the stack and preventing sidewise displacement of a rack in the stack. The struts 21 are located at each end of the base side walls so that eight in all are provided. Intermediate struts 25, there being three in each side be tween the end struts 21, have a U-shaped form with the depending leg endings 26 secured to the side wall 16. The struts support a top pair of frame wires 27, intermediate wires 28 and 29, and a bottom wire 30 which abuts the top edge (FIG. 3) of the side wall 16 all around the base and locates the two parts 7 and 8 in assembly, whereby the respective leg endings 22 and 26 of the struts depend from the bottom wire 30 and are secured to the wall 16. It is understood that wherever the wires of the struts cross or intersect the frame wires the two surfaces are welded or secured to give the cage frame rigidity. The wire cage frame 8 is provided with a bottom grid of wires 31 and 32 in one direction and cross wires 33 whereby dish supporting aids may rest on the grid for support. The wires of the bottom grid are secured at the ends thereof upon the bottom peripheral wire 30 so that when the cage frame 8 is secured to the base 7, the plane of the wire grid is above the plane common to all of the several flanges 12, 13, 14 and 15. The space thus provided in the assembly is used to receive the interchangeable washing machine conveyor attachments or index strips, and it is useful to take care of projections when the racks are stacked as the flanges 12 to 15 on an upper rack may rest on the top Wires 27 of a lower rack to lend stability to a column of racks. In the stacked position the ends 24 of the corner struts 2 1 project into 1 the slots 17 in the base 7 of the rack above.

In FIG. 1, the assembly is shown with a two-piece type of conveyor adaptor or index strip A which is useful in certain makes of washing machines. The index strip A has two similar parts, and each part includes parallel longitudinal main rods 35 and spaced transverse rod elements 36 secured to the underside of the rods 35. The main rods 35 extend across the rack base 7 within the opposite walls 16 so that there is very little endwise play in the adaptor A when installed. However, to assemble the adaptor A, two easy motions are required. First, the ends 35a of the adaptor main rods 35 are inserted in holes 19 in the wall 16 until the opposite ends 35b are able to clear the horizontal flange 12 and engage under the tangs 20 of the clips 18. Then the ends 35a are withdrawn from the holes 19 and rested on the flange 14- under the tangs 20 of the adjacent clips 18, thereby having the ends 35a and 35b resting on top of the flanges 12 and 14 (FIG. 1). Thereafter, the several tangs 2d are bent down, as in FIG. 4 to secure the rods 35 from escape until the tangs are again raised and the reverse operation performed to remove the index strips A. Both index .strips A are handled in the same manner, and there is sufiicient space between the horizontal flanges 12 and 14 and the grid of wires 31 to 33, inclusive, to maneuver the ends 35a and 35b in the manner indicated.

In FIG. 5, the rack is shown with an adaptor or index strip B substituted for that shown in FIG. 1. The index strip B is provided with a straight main rod 37 and a main rod having a central span 38 offset from the ends elements 40 arranged in spaced pairs as shown.

39. The ends 39 cooperate with the ends 37a of the main rod 37 in mounting the index strip in the base 7. The said main rods carry a plurality of transverse rod The index strip B is in two identical parts and is installed or removed in the same way as was described for the index strip.

It is believed unnecessary to repeat the description of the rack parts 7 and 8, since these are substantially similar to the parts shown in FIG. 1, and similar parts are identified by similar numerals.

The index strip C shown in FIG. 6 is still another type which will render the rack useful in certain other washing machines. In this form, four straight main rods are arranged in spaced relation so that the outside ones 41 of the main rods fit in the positions occupied by the inside rods 35 of index strip A, and the inner adjacent main rods 41a cooperate with the intermediate pairs of clips 18, as shown. In this strip C, transverse rod elements 42 are secured to the main rods 41 in spaced groups adjacent the end portions of rods 41. The manner of installing and removing the index strip C is set forth above.

The foregoing description has related to novel features of dishrack devices, and has pointed out the improvement of providing a construction of base and frame which will make it possible to use interchangeable index strips for increasing the scope of utility of the racks. Various changes which may be made or come to mind after understanding the principle hereof are to be included within the scope of the claims annexed hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dish rack assembly, a base frame having a peripheral wall and a flange extending inwardly therefrom defining a bottom plane for the rack, a wire cage frame fixed to said peripheral wall and extending upwardly above said bottom plane, said cage frame including horizontal wires crossing from side to side to form a grid in a plane spaced from said bottom plane, index strip means for said rack and assembled in the space between said grid plane and bottom plane upon said flange, said peripheral wall having opening in one side portion to temporarily receive a portion of the index strip means while an opposite portion is located upon said flange during assembly, said portion being thereafter normally carried on said flange, and bendable elements on the rack below the plane of said grid engaging said index strip means to retain it in normal position.

2. A rack construction including a base frame having inwardly directed flanges in each side and an upright wall extending about and forming the sides of said base frame, the inwardly directed flanges all being in a common plane spaced from the top margin of said upright wall, a cage frame carried by said base frame and comprising a plurality of spaced apart wires extending about and forming sides for the cage frame, one of said wires abutting the top margin of said upright wall, U-shaped struts secured crosswise of said wires and disposed in each side of said cage frame in spaced relation, each strut having leg endings depending from said one wire and being secured to said upright wall, grid wires carried by said one wire and criss-crossing said base frame from side to side and spaced above the common plane of said flanges, clips on said rack below said grid wires, index strip means including main rods spanning the base frame between opposite portions of said upright wall, transverse rod elements secured to said main rods and spaced along said main rods inwardly of the end portions of said main rods, one of said opposite portions of said upright wall being provided with apertures adjacent each of said clips, said apertures being spaced above the plane of said adjacent flange, said main rod end portions at one side of said index strip means being adapted to enter said apertures to allow the other end portion of said main rods to clear the flange adjacent said opposite upright wall portion, whereby said index strip means may be positioned on said flanges below said grid wires, the end portions of said main rods being positioned on said flanges adjacent certain of said clips, and bendable tangs on each of said clips adapted to.

engage said main rod end portions and retain the same against said flanges, whereby said index strip means is secured on said flanges below said grid wires and free of said apertures.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

